OHCHR urged to send team to probe siege violations

16 Sep 2017 - 1:29

QNA

Chairman of Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee, Dr Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri has called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to send a technical committee to the State of Qatar and visit the siege countries to investigate the violations and meet the separated families and students expelled from their universities, and Qatari citizens who lost their properties in the siege countries.
At a press conference held in Geneva on the sidelines of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, Dr Al Marri also called on the UN Special Rapporteur on Unilateral coercive Punishment, the Special Rapporteur on Education and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief in the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the violations committed against Qatari citizens and residents in Qatar and citizens of the siege countries.
Dr Al Marri demanded the Saudi, UAE and Bahraini authorities release the citizens who expressed their views on their rejection of the siege imposed on Qatar and to allow the international organizations to meet with them.
He urged the siege countries to lift their illegal siege on the State of Qatar and address its humanitarian consequences. He stressed that the actions taken by those States with regard to resolving the crisis were just like throwing ashes on eyes.
Dr Al Marri also called for more action by international organizations, pointing out that the Saudi authorities forced Qatari nationals wishing to enter Saudi Arabia to pursue their interests to sign a document stating that they are pilgrims and prevent them from returning before the end of the pilgrimage Hajj season, while no resident in the State of Qatar was allowed to perform Hajj this year.
Dr Al Marri made several appeals regarding the violations resulting from the siege and the need to address them.